Tale of the Founders
by Pandora1243
Summary: The Hogwarts Four are building the greatest school of witchcraft and wizardry ever. They are best friends, so how does their friendship get broken? SSRR Rated for some future content
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or anything else about Harry Potter, I only own the plot.

A/N: I have had the idea for this fan fic for some time. It is not usually a setting that is seen often and I wanted to explore some ideas. Please read and review. Thanks.

**Chapter One:**

The morning dawned clear and cold as the woman got up out of her bed and walked to the window. She looked out on the highlands around her and thought about the plans that she and her three friends had made. She was so exited. After everything they had been through, everything they had done, today the construction would start. There was a knock on the door of her room and she called 'enter' to her best friend in the world.

'Oh! Rowena, good you're finally awake, I was worried that you would never get up,' said Helga as she entered the room. Rowena cringed at Helga's direct speech. She herself preferred to speak in a much softer manner, as befitting one of high station and recognition, but her friend Helga was a practical person of common birth, and felt that it was not necessary to change the way she spoke just because her station had changed.

'Yes. The party lasted far too long last night, and I am not accustomed to bedding down at such a late hour. And Godric! If he had consumed so much as a drop more firewhisky I fear that that disreputable hat of his would have burst into flames' Rowena responded with a chuckle.

The four friends were staying at a well thought-of inn in a small town in the highlands of Scotland. They had spent the previous night partying and toasting their grand plan to establish a great wizarding school in the hills near the town. They each had made important achievements, earned many honours, and their good friend Merlin was there to give his blessing to their project, as well as to seal their vows to the school. Rowena was particularly happy about what they were doing. She thought about the bright young minds that would come to learn. She had never had children, though Helga had borne a brood of them to her first husband, who was now deceased, and Godric was known for having fathered many, with two official wives, and many suspected that there were other, unacknowledged offspring of Gryffindor out there. Salazar also was childless, and she and he had been brought together by this. This was the reason that the two of them had proposed the school to their friends, who had met the idea with much enthusiasm.

'Helga, dear, I'll be down in a moment. I'll just get my house-elf to help me dress, and I'll come to breakfast,' she said to her friend, and as Helga left she called Flicky, her elf, to her. She chose a silver dress with blue trim, and was pleased with the effect. She always liked to look her best, and this was no ordinary day after all. She brushed and set her hair, looking at the touches of gray starting at the temples of her golden hair, sighed, and sent her elf to the staging area outside of the town. The four had brought a large company of elves with them, both to serve their personal needs, as well as to help with the construction. After the school was built, the elves would serve in the school, along with all their descendants.

Rowena went down to breakfast, but though she was ravenous, she ate little. She knew that too much food would make her sleepy again, and wanted to be wide awake for the vow taking ceremony. In addition, it was not proper for a lady to be seen overindulging at the table. Helga and Godric on the other hand, ate with gusto. Helga had always had an appetite, and this, combined with the dozen or so children that she had borne, made her more than a little plump. Salazar also did not eat much, but he never did. It almost seemed that he found such mundane things as the consumption of food to be beneath him, and thus wasted little time on it. He was a thin man, not skeletal or unhealthy, but had the appearance of a person on whom all the fat had been trimmed away, and looked like a greyhound in top condition.

Rowena really preferred his company to Godric. Godric looked more like a bulldog. He was an exuberant person who enjoyed all the pleasures of life. Food, drink, women, song, he sampled them all. He was a very adventurous person with a great love of life, and was on occasion a very trying person to be around. Only Salazar was able to keep up with him, and that was mainly due to sheer determination. Salazar was not the kind of person who liked to be shown up, and Godric taunted him mercilessly. Salazar knew what Godric was up to of course, and rarely took the bait. He was frequently able to counter some of Godric's more outrageous propositions with the application of a cutting, dry wit that seldom failed to draw blood. They had an interesting, but still fulfilling friendship.

The two of them were engaged in a heated discussion over who had won their most recent competition, which had been a terrifying ordeal for Rowena and Helga to witness. Salazar had challenged Godric to tame a dragon, and Godric was still insisting that his last command to his dragon, (to fly off the mountain top they were perched upon), was heeded, while Salazar was saying that he had not done anything, as the dragon would have done so any minute and Godric was trying to win on a technicality.

'I'm telling you Sal, that dragon looked at me, winked, and flew off, just as I told it to!'

'My dear Godric, that dragon was about ready to fly regardless of what you said. I tell you the dragon was already in the air when you shouted that last "command" to it. And do not think that by insisting on calling me by that ridiculous diminutive I shall start calling you God, or Ric, or any other absurd thing,' shot back Salazar, with a hint of a smile.

'Salazar, you don't have one fun bone in that skinny body of yours! If I didn't know better I would think you were the most arrogant person I have ever known. The fact of the matter is though, that I hold that particular title, and that is one thing that you can't deny!' Said Gryffindor with a loud guffaw.

Rowena and Helga giggled into their plates at this exchange. Truth be told, they quite enjoyed the verbal sparring of their male counterparts, though some of the physical contests frequently had them at their wits' end.

At this point, Merlin announced that if they were all quite finished with their breakfast, they should head up to the building site. It was almost time for the ceremony, which had to be done at precisely mid-morning. Gathering up their things, and with a growing sense of anticipation, they left the inn to go up to their destiny.

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The four friends walked up the path to the area where they had chosen to build their school. They were all full of excitement and wonder. Merlin accompanied them to the building site, along with most of the residents of the town of Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade was really not that big, there was only one street, with a few houses and shops, but it was an all-wizarding town, and that was what was most important. The four did not want too many prying eyes around as they built the school, and so they picked an area that was totally devoid of muggles. The set up was perfect. The school would have access to the wizarding town for goods and services, and the town would prosper from increased trade and visitation. Everyone was happy.

When they all arrived at the site, the four friends stood in a circle holding hands, with Merlin in the center, and the rest of the town gathered around to witness. Merlin began the ceremony.

'Here on this earth, these four have chosen to create a great legacy. A school of learning will be erected here to educate the young in the ways of magic. This is a solemn undertaking, and must be done with the most dedicated mind, and the most serious commitment. In your hands will rest the education and future of the children of our kind. This is a great obligation, and therefore must be undertaken willingly, with free will, and must never be shirked.'

Merlin now turned to address each of the founders, and as he spoke, his voice took on a terrible seriousness that commanded the full attention of everyone there.

'Do you, Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slitherin, vow to teach the young who come to learn from you, educate them to the best of your ability, with unwavering dedication?'

'We do.'

'Do you vow never to drop this burden, no matter the obstacle?'

'We do.'

'Do you swear to work with your co-founders to resolve conflict, to support each other in times of need, and to run the school wisely, together?'

'We do."

Merlin's voice rose louder over the throng, and as he spoke, tendrils of golden light wrapped themselves around the circle of four, tying them together and growing more intense with each word spoken.

'Then I declare that by this vow you are now forever bound. You are bound to each other, you are bound to this land, and you are bound to the school you have vowed to build together. You are now bound to Hogwarts.'

The light reached an unbearable brilliance and then faded away. The four founders looked at each other and smiled. It was done. Now it was time for the work to begin.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or any other part of the Harry Potter series. They all belong to that lucky lady JK Rowling. I only own the plot.

A/N: I am updating fairly quickly for the first few chapters, as I like to get the stories out there, but as I go on, the updates will be spaced out a little more. Hope you enjoy. Please review.

**Chapter Two:**

A month had gone by since the vowing ceremony. The four founders and their army of house elves had been hard at work. The vowing ceremony had taken place in the early spring of the year, just as the crocuses were starting to bloom. Now it was April, and they had just finished excavating the foundation of the school. They knew that over time, many additional facilities were going to be added, so they had chosen and area where there was room to expand. Their biggest problem at the moment was a far more immediate and practical one.

'I knew we shouldn't have excavated in the rainy season I just knew it!' Exclaimed Helga in exasperation. 'Just look at it! The whole darn thing is filling up with water. We went and dug a huge whole, just to see it fill up with water! What on earth are we going to do?'

The other three looked at each other knowingly. Helga didn't have the name Hufflepuff for no reason. When exasperated she could, like the wolf in the fairy tale, 'Huff and Puff till they all fell down', but at this point, the biggest problem was the spring squall that had sprung up out of nowhere, and was proceeding to dump large amounts of water onto their construction site. The elves were scrambling all over trying to place repelling charms over the excavation, but the site was too big and there was too much ground to cover.

'I suggest that we just leave it for the moment. There really is nothing we can do, so we could stand out here getting wet and do nothing, or we could go back to the inn where it's warm and dry and do nothing. Personally, I prefer warm and dry, and I could use a firewhisky. When the rain stops, we can come back and drain it out. That will be far less work than trying to keep it from filling up in the first place,' said Godric, talking rather more loudly than usual to make himself heard over the rain and wind. Not waiting for a response, he put his arm around Helga and guided her towards the path to town.

Salazar shrugged. 'Might as well, Rowena. There is no chance that we can do this without their help. I guess that Godric has made our decision for us. We can come back tomorrow and make repairs.' With that, he followed Godric and Helga.

Rowena stood in the rain looking at the rapidly filling excavation. She knew that Salazar was right and they couldn't do it alone. She hurried after Salazar and walked back down to the town with him, partly glad to be heading somewhere that wasn't quite so wet.

They arrived at the inn and shook off the excess water from their robes. There were some cushioned chairs by the great fireplace in the main room, and this was their favourite place to sit and talk about their plans, or to just quietly watch the fire and think. Rowena pulled out a book and started to read while Godric started up some idle banter.

'I love this room by the fire; it's so warm and welcoming. I think that the common room for the students should look something like this. They will need a place to relax and talk after a day of lessons, and an environment like this would be perfectly suited to their needs.'

'I agree that the students need a private area, but this room is a little… colourful… for my taste. I think something a little starker, more geared towards a study area, would be best,' replied Salazar, settling himself into a chair. 'If things are too comfortable, they will not be focused, and there would be too many distractions.'

'Well, we'll see,' interjected Helga. 'After all, the place hasn't even been built yet. And we need to think of how we will drain out that hole tomorrow. I for one think that some rest is in order. I am going to write some letters to the children, and then I am going to bed. I will see you all in the morning. And NO FIREWHISKY!' She added to Godric, who was headed towards the bar.

'Of course Helga, whatever you say, but surely you can't say no to a single flagon of mulled mead?' And with that he was off.

Rowena looked up at Salazar, who seemed lost in thought. He was staring in to the fire with a blank expression, and his unreadable face worried her.

'Salazar, is there anything wrong? You seem… melancholy. What is troubling you?'

'Nothing. I'm just tired after a long day,' he replied, without enthusiasm.

'It has to be more than that. I've seen you when you are tired, and this is not fatigue. You have always been able to talk with me. Please, don't stop now.'

'I sometimes get very frustrated Rowena. Godric is my best friend, and a good man. He is just so… exuberant. He frequently does not think. Had he stayed up there with us, we could have saved ourselves quite a bit of work tomorrow, but for all of his bravery, he does not like work. Especially when it is uncomfortable work. He is not like you and I. We are thinkers, my dear Rowena. I worry sometimes about just what he will teach our students. I want them to learn to use their minds, and sometimes Godric can be mind-numbing.' Salazar stopped at the look of surprise on Rowena's face at his words. 'As I said. I am tired. Perhaps a good night's sleep will allow me to regain my temper. Goodnight, and be well.' And with that, he too, headed to bed.

Rowena sat looking into the fire. She knew that Salazar and Godric had had their differences in the past. They had always resolved them, and would do so again. She spent the rest of the evening reading her book while Godric tried to gain the affections of the busty blond barmaid, Rosie.

The next morning, the four found that the damage was not as bad as they had thought. The excavation was still sound, and the amount of water was not as high as they would have expected. The elves had been out round the clock making sure that the excavation didn't cave in and that the amount of water remained manageable. Helga immediately took herself over to the elf tents to tend to cases of injury or sickness, and to berate them for working so hard in such weather. She hated the idea that they had been out there all night, but the elves were so eager to please that they took little thought for their own safety. Rowena sympathized with Helga, but she felt that speaking to house-elves as equals was not appropriate. Godric and Salazar didn't really notice, as they were busy trying to figure out how to drain the remaining water from the foundation of their new school.

The two of them worked together, Salazar siphoning excess water out of the hole and into the lake, and Godric working clean up by heating the remainder to evaporate out what was left. By noon, the excavation was clear and dry. The process of working together on something as mundane and ordinary as a cleanup helped clear Salazar's head. He loved Godric as though he was his own brother. Any minor differences that they had in style and taste could be overcome, and by the time they were finished, Salazar was back to his usual self. If Godric had noticed any change in Salazar's behaviour, then he never let on. Once they had finished, Godric proposed another challenge. The wizard who could bring the most stone to the site by the end of the day would win. The two of them set off for the nearby stone quarry, and started levitating rock after rock over to the excavation site. With the help of the elves and the two witches, they had completed an astonishing amount of work by nightfall. There was enough stone at the site to fully line the subterranean levels of the castle, and they had a good start on the main floor. When they retired to bed that night, they were exhausted but happy.

Over the rest of the summer, they worked with the elves to construct the school. There were other occasional incidents of disagreement, but they were quickly resolved. By fall, they had finished the stonework on the castle, and the construction was almost finished. The left the site to settle over the winter, and went home to their families. While Helga and Godric had children and grandchildren to return to, Salazar and Rowena did not, and thus they spent more time visiting each other than the others. Rowena even spent a lovely Christmas holiday at the Slytherin Manor. She presented Salazar with a magnificent ring for the holiday, and he, knowing her liking for fine jewelry, gave her a stunning tiara. She spent a good portion of the winter in communication with various furniture makers to commission all the things that would be needed for the castle; tables, chairs, desks, and beds were all ordered. She and the others also sent many owls to each other discussing items like the curriculum and who would have the teaching of which subject. They decided on 8 major subjects to start with. Rowena would teach Transfiguration and Charms, Helga would have Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology, Salazar would have Potions and Runes, and Godric would teach Defense against the Dark Arts and History of Magic. By the time spring came and the crocuses were blooming again, all was in readiness, and they prepared to return to their castle in the highlands to put the finishing touches on their beloved school.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling.

A/N: This chapter is quite a bit longer than the previous ones, but I was very inspired tonight. Please read and review. This story is not beta read, so there may be minor inconsistencies.

**Chapter Three:**

The four friends arrived in Hogsmeade on a warm spring day. They would be staying at the inn for a week until all the furniture that had been ordered arrived, and then they would move into their quarters in the castle, and their families with them. Salazar had arrived first, riding a magnificent black stallion, with a troupe of wagons behind him carrying all the things he would need. There was an entire wagon for his books, one with all of his notes on the books he was writing, some personal effects from his house in London, and two full wagons of potions ingredients. It was a good thing that they had sent an owl well in advance to reserve rooms at the inn and the stables, as the other three arrived similarly encumbered. Rowena was next to arrive riding a stunning palomino mare, and the carriages behind her held all the worldly possessions she had chosen to take with her. Helga arrived in a rickety cart pulled by a tired chestnut gelding. The cart was piled so high with cages of animals and bags of seeds and plants that it looked ready to topple over. She was aching to plant her produce in her new greenhouse and have it ready for her students. Godric arrived on a giant roan gelding, with carts full of history books and dark detection items trailing behind him. They sent the elves up to the castle with all this material, with orders to make sure that these items were carefully stored until the next day when the four would go up to set things up properly.

After a light supper, (and a wonderfully welcome bath for the ladies, who greatly disliked the discomforts of traveling), they sat themselves down in front of the fire to rest and catch up with one another.

'I don't think I could have piled so much as another pot into my cart,' said Helga, snuggling into her plush armchair with a hot cup of tea. 'It's a good thing that my children won't be arriving until next week, because I don't think I could have handled the strain of keeping them in order for that trip!'

'Considering the size of your brood Helga, and all of Godric's young ones, I think that we shall already have a full school without enrolling so much as one non-relation,' commented Salazar.

'That's pure exaggeration and you know it! I may have a large number of children, but the castle has more than enough room for many, many more. Perhaps some day we shall have a brood of wonderfully eloquent and devious little Slytherins wandering the castle?' Helga winked at Salazar, who raised his eyebrows at her comment.

'Perhaps,' was all that he would offer. Godric chuckled at his friend's dry response. He knew that shortly his band of children would be arriving as well, and he knew that they would soon make the castle feel like home to him. He walked to the window and looked out at the spectacular sunset.

'Why don't we all go for a walk up to the castle tonight?' he suggested. 'After all, we haven't been here in months, and that sunset would be perfectly viewed from up on the hill by the lake. Let's not waste this evening. By tomorrow, we will have so much work to do that we will have very little time to enjoy our castle, or spend time with one another outside of school matters. Let's go and watch the sunset.'

The others readily agreed. They got their cloaks to ward off the spring chill, and slowly walked up the path to the castle. The sight of it quite took their breath away, as the house-elves had gone and lit fires in the hearths of many of the rooms to try and dispel the winter cold that had seeped into the mortar and stone. The towers and turrets seemed to brush the very sky, and the grounds had large numbers of fireflies darting about the newly blossoming flowers. It was the most beautiful and welcoming sight they had ever seen. They turned around to look out over the lake and watched as the golden sun shed its evening rays over the few wispy clouds to create a stunning display of colour in the sky. Reds, pinks, mauves, and purples blended together in the misty clouds and it almost brought tears to their eyes. Then, just as the sun was about to touch the horizon, the clouds parted, and a million tiny golden sparkles appeared on the lake, and the sun's reflected children danced on the waves with only the eyes of these good friends to see. They walked down to the edge of the water and sat together in silence, watching the wonder of nature unfold before them.

After the sun had gone to its rest, they were reluctant to return to the village. The feeling of wonder from the spectacular sunset was still around them and they did not want it to be broken. They walked back to the castle, and stood for a while watching the warm glow of light coming from the windows. Lost in their own thoughts, each of them thought about what the castle meant to them. Godric saw it as a beacon of light and happiness, shining for the wizarding world to see and as a sanctuary for those who wished to come and learn. Helga saw a place of happiness as well; a place where the laughter of children would ring through the halls and the practice of merriment would be an equally essential subject of study. Rowena saw a sacred place of learning, and was envisioning her large library waiting to be stocked with important works of literature and books of learning, a place of calm and quiet study; a haven for the mind. Salazar looked at the castle and saw a home. All the places where he had lived had been lonely. They were only dwellings, while this place would be a true home, where he would have the companionship of his friends and their families. This was a place where people would be made welcome, and he clearly envisioned his classroom, with bubbling cauldrons and students hard at work. This was a place where he would be useful, needed.

In time, the night grew cold and the moon rose, full and clear and crisp. In the moonlight, with their breath steaming before them, they started to walk back to the village of Hogsmeade. When they arrived, Rosie the barmaid berated them for having stayed out so long with only light cloaks, 'After all, without you four, that castle is just a pile of rock, isn't it?' and hustled them back over to the fire with cups of hot tea. They were very tired, it had been a long day, and after their tea, Godric and Helga went up to bed. Rowena and Salazar sat in companionable silence, watching the fire. After a time, Rowena asked Salazar a question which surprised him.

'I am surprised that what with Godric having made sure that there were many little Gryffindors to follow in his footsteps that you never had a child. Haven't you ever wanted children Salazar?'

'Well, I have thought about it from time to time. I have just never had the opportunity. As you well know, I am not as fixated on creature comforts as Godric is, and what with my extensive work on potion making, as well as other things, I have just never had the time. I don't think that I would ever be as good a father as Godric anyway. He is an exuberant man, with much love to give. I am far too reserved for that. Teaching the young is close enough to parenting for my comfort.'

Rowena nodded. What Salazar said made sense, though she was a little startled to hear him admit it so readily.

'What about you Rowena? You have never borne a child. Is there a particular reason? After all, to be a teacher one must have a strong desire to work with children. I have answered your question, now it is your turn to answer mine. Why have you never had children?'

'In truth, my reasons are similar to yours. There have been other things to occupy my life, and until recently they have been more than enough. Now I find that I wish I had had a child when I had the chance,' she idly touched a lock of graying hair at her temple, 'but my childbearing years are now over, and one can't change the past. I feel as you do, that teaching the young will be as close as I will get.' She laughed softly, 'And besides, I have never found a person that I cared enough for and had enough respect for to be considered a candidate to father a child, so I did not have any.'

Salazar fixed her with a penetrating stare. 'Is that true Rowena? You _never_ found anyone you felt would be a good father to your children?'

Rowena blushed. 'Well… once, a long time ago, there was someone who I held hopes for, but he was very busy at the time, if I recall.' She flicked a quick glance at Salazar, who was looking down at his hands, seemingly lost in thought.

'Yes, I suppose he was at that. But he realizes now what he lost all those years ago, and has often wished he had made different decisions. Though you may feel you are old, you are not, and he sees in you the beautiful young girl he met many years ago. He still cares for you.' He very slowly and very gently took her hand in his own, looking into her eyes and commanding her gaze to meet his. 'Is there any hope for him at all Rowena?'

'Perhaps,' she whispered, giving up to the look in his eyes. 'Perhaps there is still hope for both of us.'

They looked at each other for a moment, and then Rowena tore herself away from his gaze, blushing again. She was embarrassed, and uncomfortable. She had not blushed this much for many years, not since she was a girl, and though Salazar was an old friend, she was not accustomed to being looked at with such desire. She pulled her hand out from under his, and without looking at him she said, 'It's late, and I'm quite tired. Perhaps we should retire for the night. There is much to be done tomorrow.'

Salazar refused to let her pull too far away, he was closer to his dreams than he had ever been, and was unwilling to let go, just yet.

'Perhaps we should.' He paused. 'Rowena?' he asked.

'Yes,' softly.

'I am glad we shared that sunset tonight. I will cherish this evening we had together.'

She still wouldn't look at him directly, but said, 'So will I Salazar, so will I.'

Salazar gently cupped her chin in his hand and brought her eyes up to meet his again. He looked at her for a moment, and then gently, very gently brushed his lips with hers. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, 'goodnight', and headed to his rooms, leaving her breathless; her heart pounding. She sat by the fire and stared into its flames, trembling despite its warmth. She could still feel where he had put his hand over hers, could still feel the quiet strength of his fingers gripping her own, and scolded herself for acting like a child. She was a grown woman, with many accomplishments of her own. But she could not forget the look in his eyes as he bent to kiss her. By the time she made her way to bed, most of the night had gone.

The next few days proved to be just as busy as expected, and Salazar and Rowena could only steal a few moments together in the evening, after Godric and Helga had gone to bed. The other half of their little quartet did not know what was going on between their friends, or if they did, they never let on. Salazar and Rowena had been know to stay up late on many an occasion discussing obscure tenets of philosophy or science or current affairs, so their behaviour didn't seem out of the ordinary, but there was a palpable tension in the air anytime they were in the same room.

The castle was set up, the furniture arrived, and Helga spent a glorious few days puttering in her gardens in the greenhouse planting all her material. Salazar and Godric did most of the work involved in setting up the classrooms with desks, and planning on which classes would take place in which room. Salazar was very unhappy with some of the decisions made, but he had to admit that potion making was frequently a very odorous undertaking, and that the potions room would have to be in the dungeon, away from the other classrooms. He had hoped that he would have a room in one of the towers, but it was not to be. At least his other subject, runes, would take place in a regular classroom, otherwise he would be stuck in the dungeon constantly, and he preferred the open air.

The house elves were set up with quarters adjoining the kitchen, and great vegetable gardens were planted on the grounds. For most things, they would be able to get supplies from the town, but if the school's enrollment was anywhere near what they hoped, feeding the students would be a very costly undertaking if they did not have some means of providing their own sustenance. Once everything was in readiness, Helga and Godric sent for their families. Godric had chosen a set of chambers at the top on one tower to house his brood, they would not be lodged with the general school population, but would maintain a more normal family lifestyle living in quarters with Godric and his wife. The living area beneath the children's rooms was set up exactly as the lounge of the inn had been, with warm cushioned chairs by the fire. Godric had enjoyed that room so much that he wanted to be able to access it any time. Helga found a set of rooms close to the kitchen that she quite liked, and had them decorated in yellow and white, the colours of her favourite flowers. Her children would be living there with her, where she could keep an eye on them. They were goodhearted, but had a tendency to get out of hand at times.

On the night that the children were expected, the house-elves made a sumptuous meal. There were roasts and potatoes, mounds of vegetables, pies, cakes, tarts and many flagons of chilled pumpkin juice all prepared. When the carts carrying Godric's group of young ones arrived, (8 in all from age 11 to 17, and two sets of twins), there was a huge commotion, and Godric ran to the front gates to greet his wife and children. They were escorted inside and led to the Great Hall, where two large tables had been set up for the evening, one for the children and one for the adults. The children were just settling into their seats when the second wave of wagons arrived with Helga's family, and they went through the process again. There were many hugs all around, and the two groups of children mingled. Some of Godric and Helga's children had not seen each other for many years, and as they prepared for dinner there was a joyful din of people renewing friendships and catching up on recent history.

Rowena warmly greeted Godric's wife, a known beauty who had captured his heart by adamantly refusing his advances for many years. Rowena admired the woman for her strength of character. It was not every woman who could stand her ground with Godric Gryffindor. Rowena greeted Helga's husband as well. She did not know him as well as Godric's wife, as he and Helga had only been married for a short time. (All of Helga's children but the last were products of her previous marriage, but her first husband had died a few years back, a blow from which she almost did not recover). Helga's husband was plain, almost dumpy looking, and his hairline was rapidly receding. He was however, a very jovial man, with a quick wit and a talent for telling funny stories. He was a good kind man who treated Helga's children as if they were his own.

Salazar held back slightly from the chaos that ensued at the arrival of the children. He could face a dragon with unruffled calm, but for some reason the sheer maniacal quality of the noise and bustle of young people unnerved him. He was accustomed to a quieter atmosphere, but he thought that it would pass and that he would soon grow accustomed to this as well.

Eventually everyone was seated around the tables, and Godric rose to say a toast before dinner.

'My friends, my family, welcome. This place was meant for such joyous occasions. I hope that soon, we will all adjust to living here under one roof, and that it will be a happy place for us all. Before long, we will be joined by many others; children who will come here to learn and grow from our teachings. We should cherish this night and the time we have here, and be glad that soon, many others will come to share this place with us. I only hope that those who come will feel as much like family as the people who sit before me tonight.' He lifted his glass in the air. 'To Hogwarts!'

'To Hogwarts!' everyone cried, and drank to the fledgling school that was their new home. The food appeared on the tables and everyone ate until they could eat no more. As dinner finished, Rowena sat back and watched the playful antics of the children as Helga tried to get them all to bed. She hoped that every meal at Hogwarts would be as pleasant and fulfilling as this one had been.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story. They belong to JK Rowling. All I own is the plot.

A/N: These updates are coming faster than I expected, but the story almost seems to be writing itself. I hope you enjoy. Please read and review.

**Chapter four:**

The months of spring and summer were some of the most fulfilling and happiest that they had ever known. The sound of children laughing and playing filled the halls and grounds of the castle, and mealtimes were an absolute delight. The many red-haired children of Gryffindor and the honey blonde children of Hufflepuff played together happily, with many warm days swimming in the lake or playing impromptu games of Quiddich. There was even a blossoming romance between Helga's oldest, Amanda, and Godric's oldest, Gregory. The four founders were together with their families and they were busy with the final preparations for the coming students.

Many times many owls had to be sent to the wizarding families of Brittan, and word was spreading in the community about the special new school for the young witches and wizards of the realm. They received many confirmations of enrollment over the summer from many wizarding families, and were happy that their first year would be so well attended. As the summer wound down they geared up for the arrival of their students. Most would be arriving by floo through the main fire in the great hall. Some who lived closer to the school were being escorted there by their parents, and all had been told that they must arrive no later than dusk on the first day of September.

The night before the arrival of the students, the four friends sat nervously in the Great Hall. They tried to eat some dinner, but every ten minutes or so one of them would pop up and run out of the room saying that there was one last thing to check. The children had picked up on this and were strung as tightly as piano strings, and in addition to their own nerves, the fledgling teachers had to contend with near mayhem from the over exited children. Godric was nervously eyeing his youngest set of twins, who were attempting to slide down the banister of the main stairway. At his suggestion, Salazar went to his potions room and made up a batch of calming draught. Everyone received a dose, and they proceeded to bed.

The next morning dawned cold and raining. Everyone had settled their nerves, and as the first few students made their way up the path from Hogsmeade to the castle, the teachers prepared to deal with whatever came their way. Godric and Helga manned the front gate, and guided students and parents to the dormitory, while Rowena and Salazar remained in the Great Hall, and made sure that there were no floo accidents involving the incoming students. The house elves were in attendance as well, carting the arriving students' luggage and school things to the dormitory. Once everyone had arrived and their names were checked, everyone gathered at the Great Hall for the welcoming feast. The parents who had escorted their children stayed as well, and would spend the night at the castle before journeying home. After everyone was seated, Helga stood up to address the gathering.

'Welcome students of Hogwarts! Welcome also to the parents who have joined us today. You are a very special group. You are the first students at this school of witchcraft and wizardry, and it is something that you will be proud of in years to come. We have great plans for your education, and someday, you will tell your grandchildren that you were here to witness this monumental event. For those of you who do not know us, I will make some brief introductions. I am Helga Hufflepuff, and the others here beside me are Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They have each received many awards and made many accomplishments, and you could not learn from a better group of people. We have some important notices for you as well, regarding certain rules we have set in place to ensure that your stay here will be a safe and happy one, but those can wait until we have been fed and watered. Eat!'

Helga sat down and as the food appeared on the tables there were oohs and aahs at the bountiful food before them. The students did not hesitate, and soon the Great Hall was filled with the sound of a hundred happy children, eating their fill. Many of the children knew each other and renewed old acquaintances, others were in the process of making friends and the parents were involved in discussions over the size of the new school, and how they were pleasantly surprised at how lavish everything was.

Eventually, everyone had eaten till they could not take another bite, and a hush settled over the room. This time, it was Salazar who stood to address the crowd. He was a little nervous, and was extremely stiff and stern as he spoke to the gathered students.

'Now, we have some notices for everyone. Please listen carefully as this will not be repeated. While we wish for everyone to enjoy their time here, we have put some rules in place to ensure that the safety of the school is not compromised. Students are NOT allowed to leave the school grounds without express permission of a teacher. Depending on your behaviour over the next couple of months, supervised visits to the village may be permitted at a later time. In addition, no magic can be performed in the hallways between classes. Unfocused magic can at times be dangerous, so you are expected to obey this and only perform magic during class under the guidance of a teacher.

'As there are many of you and few of us, we will be appointing certain students who will have additional authority over their classmates. These prefects will be responsible for helping us to maintain order and a safe learning environment. For now, the house elves will be helping us with this chore, and will be reporting any misbehaviour to us. Any tomfoolery will not be tolerated, and any students responsible for misconduct will be punished. Between now and All Hallows Eve, we will assess the maturity and capability of each student, and the ones selected will be announced at the Hallows Eve feast. Next year, the students who are given this responsibility will be informed over the summer, and will take up those duties upon arrival. Is all this clear?'

There was a round of nods from the students, who all looked slightly intimidated at this prospect.

'At this time, the teachers will escort you to your dormitories so that we can have a fresh start tomor…'

'Just a moment!' Godric interrupted, standing beside his friend with a smile.

Salazar looked rather shocked at this and glared at Godric, who winked and raised his hands above his head.

'Before we all shuffle off to our beds, there is something that I would like to propose!'

The other teachers looked surprised at this. They usually discussed these things in advance, and it was highly irregular for one of them to take it upon himself to do something without consent.

'In the spirit of creating unity between our students and teachers I have written a song for the school. I suggest that we sing it now before we all go to bed.' Surprised looks greeted this announcement and with that, Godric waved his wand in the air and flaming golden words appeared over their heads. Starting up the song, singly loudly and quite off key, Godric sang.

'Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until out brains all rot.'

Laughing, the students joined him in song, and the last line was virtually shouted at the walls. Helga and Rowena were laughing into their handkerchiefs, as this was exactly the kind of thing that Godric would think of. The funny, silly, and downright ridiculous song was the perfect way to set the students at ease after Salazar's rather somber speech. Salazar meanwhile fell back into his seat with stunned disbelief. All his hopes for a dignified school opening and quiet procession to the dormitory were dashed completely. The teachers rose from the table, and gathering the students into a procession behind them, led them to the students' rooms in the east tower. Once they entered the common room, Helga and Rowena led the girls to their rooms on the right, while Godric and Salazar made sure that the boys found their way to their rooms on the left.

After the teachers escorted the parents to the guest rooms set aside for them, they retired to the staff room for a cup of tea before bed. Once they arrived however, Salazar exploded.

'WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?' He shouted, pointing an accusing finger at a stunned Godric. 'Not only was that… that… SONG, the most infantile and stupid thing I have ever heard, but you embarrassed me in front of the whole student body! How are we supposed to show a united front to the students if they see us interrupting each other at the slightest opportunity? How am I supposed to command the respect of these children if they see us make a mockery of each other? I can't believe you would do that! I demand an apology at once!'

As Salazar spoke, Godric's face became darker and darker. He stood up and walked to Salazar to end up standing face to face with him.

'What was I doing? How can you ask that? You were so morose and serious and somber in your speech that the students seemed almost petrified! We could not send them to bed in that state. Even the parents looked a little worried. All this talk of punishments on the first day! I knew I should have insisted on doing that part of the welcoming myself. I will NOT apologize for what I did. And if you want the respect of the students, then you had better learn how to have a little fun with them. That is all I am going to say on this matter.'

Godric turned his back on Salazar and went to stand by the window. The tension in the room could be cut with a dull knife. Never before had these two best friends exchanged such heated words. Salazar looked to Helga and Rowena to back him up, but Helga looked just as stern as Godric and Rowena just looked shocked. She turned to Salazar, her mouth opening and closing, but with no sound coming out. Finally she swallowed and said apprehensively,

'Salazar, I really think that perhaps this is a bit blown out of proportion. The students enjoyed the song, and will soon forget that Godric interrupted you, if they even noticed in the first place. Perhaps we should just let it go…' She stumbled to a stop as she saw Salazar's face. He was furious. When he spoke though, his voice contained a deadly calm that sent shivers down her spine.

'Rowena, I thought you of all people would be the first to protest this lack of decorum. I am stunned that you are taking his side on this matter. I will not forget it.' And with that, Salazar left the room for his chambers.

A great sigh came from the direction of the window. Godric turned to the ladies and shook his head.

'Salazar always did have a quick temper, as I have. He will cool off soon. Let's just let him sleep on it and things will be right in the morning.' Godric's expression turned from one of resignation to a mischievous smirk and then to a fake look of puppy-like hurt. In a small whine he asked, 'Do you really think that my song was stupid and infantile? I spent hours and hours and hours working on it you know and I had so hoped that everyone would like it…' the ladies laughed at Godric's obvious attempt to lighten the mood, and, hoping that he was right about Salazar's temper, headed off to bed. It would be a very early day for them.

Godric was wrong. For over a month, Salazar refused to speak to them any more than he absolutely had to. He went about his business, taught his students, and evaluated their performance. At mealtimes, he sat stony and silent at the table, and the children began to look at him with a certain measure of fear. Godric tried numerous times to speak with him about what had happened, but was rebuffed every time. Godric was wary of his friend's sudden temper, which was now perpetually near the surface. He did not want to provoke another confrontation and ignored the situation for far longer than he normally would have. Godric was a 'take action' kind of man, but this set of circumstances had him flummoxed.

Rowena tried to speak with him as well, but Salazar was just as silent with her as he was with Godric. It was devastating to her. Over the summer they had begun a promising relationship, and though they had rarely had time for more than a brief kiss, she had reveled in his attention. They had kept it secret from their friends, not knowing how to broach the subject with them, but also enjoying the thrill of a secret romance. The time they spent together seemed far more exciting for its briefness and she had felt that she was a part of something private and special. Helga saw that something was very, very wrong with her friend. Rowena had almost stopped eating, and was losing weight at an astonishing rate. She looked drawn and haggard and was often distracted during her lessons. Helga wondered why Salazar's attitude was affecting her so much. She resolved to do something about the situation, which was close to becoming intolerable.

One day during the second month of term, Helga cornered Salazar in the potions hallway. Seeing her, he stopped and tried to avoid her by turning in the other direction.

'Salazar, stop!' she cried out. 'I just want to talk with you for a moment.'

'We have nothing to speak about'

'Oh yes we do, and you know it. You have been acting more and more like a prat every day since you and Godric had that fight. I don't know why, but it's also tearing up Rowena. Haven't you noticed that she hasn't eaten in almost a week? She's becoming dangerously thin, and she was never robust to begin with. I am really worried about her. All I know is that the way you are treating her doesn't help in the slightest, if it isn't the cause of the problem in the first place!' Helga watched Salazar's back closely to see if her words had any affect. She was surprised to see him stiffen, and then slump slightly and sigh. When he spoke, there was a note of concern in his voice.

'Is she really that unwell? I was not aware. I had hoped that… but that is in the past. I have been cruel to her lately and I do not expect that she will forgive me. I thought that of all people she would support me. For her to take his side in this was a betrayal of immense proportions. I wish that there were something I could do, but I can NOT back down in this. Godric humiliated me in front of the students, and I can not bring myself to apologize for the words I said. There is nothing I can do.' He turned to leave.

'Oh yes there is!' Helga muttered, and as Salazar started to walk away, she hit him with a well placed _confundus_ charm. Salazar staggered into the wall and with a confused expression on his face, slid down the stone until he was sitting on the floor. Helga had what she needed. She now knew that Salazar was just as unhappy about the situation as any of them, but didn't know how to end it. Hoping that she was not going too far, she locked him in a broom cupboard. Then she went to get Godric. She found him sitting in his rooms marking papers.

'Godric, I need your help for a moment. Could you meet me in the staff room in about ten minutes? It's really important.' Godric seemed puzzled, but agreed nonetheless.

Helga then went and found Rowena. She was in her office, ostensibly drafting a test for her third year class. She was staring off into space, her quill drooping from her fingers, and a miserable expression on her face. Helga also asked her to meet them in the staff room, and then went to collect Salazar.

She got him from his broom cupboard where he was tracing pictures on the wall with his wand. She hoped that he would forgive her for this, but it really was necessary. Checking to make sure that no one had seen them, she guided him up to the staff room, desperately hoping they would not run into any students along the way. Luckily, all the students were either in the dormitory or the library studying.

When she guided Salazar into the staff room, Godric and Rowena were already there, as Helga had hoped. When they saw the confunded Salazar enter the room, they stood up quickly, with wary expressions on their faces. He looked up at them and smiled a childlike smile.

'My friends! How wonderful to see you here. I was just going to… going to… well, I don't rightly remember where I was going, but you're welcome to come!'

Godric's jaw hit the floor with an audible _thunk_.

'Helga! What on earth did you do to him?' He asked, trying not to laugh.

'I hit him with a _confundus_ charm. It was the only way to get him in the same room with the two of you. I suspect that he is just as unhappy with the situation as we were, and he just needs a little help to get over that stubborn nature of his. Now, you listen to me Godric! I am going to take the confundus charm off him, and I want you to apologize. Once he hears it from you, it will be easier for him to apologize as well.' Godric's face turned stony at the prospect of apologizing to Salazar. He opened his mouth to protest, but Helga cut him off. 'You WILL do it Godric, or so help me I'll confund you too!' Godric shut his mouth.

'Okay, ready?' She asked, and Godric nodded.

Helga lifted the charm and as Salazar's eyes cleared, Godric said quickly,

'Salazar, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you at the welcoming feast. I didn't mean to. I hope you can accept my apology.' All this came out very fast, as though Godric wanted to get it out before he changed his mind.

Salazar looked at Godric suspiciously. Godric sighed and continued.

'I mean it Salazar; I did not intend to embarrass you. I can't stand the way things have been between us lately. I had hoped that it would blow over, but it hasn't, and your words hurt me more than you could know.' Godric looked straight at his friend, and his tone could not be ignored. 'Salazar, you have never known me to say an untrue word. You know I'm sincere. Please accept my apology and let's be friends again.' Godric paused, looking as though the next words were very difficult to say. 'I've missed you.'

Rowena stepped forward and did a very brave thing. 'Salazar, please come back to us. You've been so distant lately, and it has hurt us all. Let's mend this and be friends again.'

Salazar looked stunned. He had never known his friends to back down in anything, however what Godric said was true and the apology was obviously sincere. Salazar felt terribly guilty about the way he had treated his friend. His eyes softened.

'Thank you Godric. I am also sorry. I said many things that I probably shouldn't have.' He looked around the room in surprise. 'But can someone please tell me how I got to the staff room? The last thing I remember I was headed to my chambers. What happened?'

Godric and Rowena stifled smiles while Helga blushed and said sharply, 'that doesn't matter, what matters is that you two have cleared things up. I think you also have something to say to Rowena don't you?' She looked very pointedly at Salazar, and he actually managed to look ashamed, which was the very first time that had ever happened in his eventful life.

Salazar walked over to Rowena, who was holding her breath. 'Rowena, I am so sorry for the way I treated you. I want you to know that I still care for you deeply, and I don't care who knows it.' And to the stunned surprise of Helga and Godric, Salazar swept Rowena into a tight embrace and kissed her long and tenderly. He then pulled back, and taking her hands in his own, he said, 'I had hoped that we would be able to make a life together, and I was so afraid that any chance of that was over.'

Rowena shook her head, trying to speak over the lump in her throat. 'No!' she choked out, 'I hope it's not over at all…' What happened next took everyone by surprise as Salazar touched his forehead to hers and whispered two soft words.

'Marry me?'

'Yes'

Godric Gryffindor, winner of a thousand duels, holder of the order of Merlin, and general all around hero, proceeded to slump in a dead faint to the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does. I just own the plot.

A/N: I know I took a while to update, but this chapter was rather difficult to write. The next one may take a while too, as I want the wedding to be perfect. Please read and review.

**Chapter Five:**

After Salazar and Rowena announced their engagement to a stunned school population, many students noticed a huge change in Slytherin's behaviour. He was kinder, more genteel, and even laughed with the students. He was a changed man, and he laid all the credit for it at Rowena's feet. They sat hand in hand at meals, and he sent house elves with bad poetry to her during class, generally making an idiot of himself. He couldn't help it. His every waking moment was obsessed with thoughts of her, and he was very impatient for the day of their wedding.

Neither one of them was young or foolish, so they felt that there was no real reason to endure a long engagement. They set the wedding for Christmas Eve, and almost the entire magical population of Britain was invited. They were going to host a huge Yule ball after the ceremony, and there were gifts for every person attending. The news that Salazar Slytherin and Rowena Ravenclaw were to wed made huge waves in the community. They were both important people, with many accomplishments and accolades. The two of them were oblivious to all this attention, and while they had many duties and responsibilities, they spent every spare moment together.

When they were not teaching, preparations for the wedding occupied an unbelievable amount of their time. They had to send out the invitations, instruct the house elves on the menu, decide on decorations, and prepare Rowena's wardrobe. Obviously, Godric and Helga were to stand with them as witnesses, and Merlin was to perform the ceremony.

The only disagreement that they had was where to take their wedding tour. Rowena wanted to go somewhere private, where they could spend time together as a married couple, while Salazar, proud over his wife-to-be, wanted to go somewhere more public. He suggested that they make a tour of the biggest cities in Europe, stopping in London, Edinburgh, Paris and Rome. Rowena was displeased, but when she saw Salazar about to get upset over the issue, she decided to back down. She most definitely did not want a repeat of the first month of the school year.

In time, things settled down a little, and the two of them were able to focus enough on their duties to aid in the selection of the two prefects. The four founders selected a happy-go-lucky blonde boy in the fifth level, who was a favourite student of Gryffindor and an excellent Quiddich player. The other student was a sixth level, a tall solemn girl with raven hair named Hypolyta. The girl was a protégé of Rowena, and the two of them had spent many hours in the library discussing new magical healing techniques. Hypolyta's dearest dream was to become a renowned healer, and Rowena intended to see that she attained her goal.

The All Hallows Eve feast was even more magnificent than the start of term feast had been. By this time, the students and teachers had settled into their routines and much of the nervousness apparent at the start of the year had now dissipated. The adults of the castle had spent many hours decorating the Great Hall for the feast, and the house-elves had gone to extremes in the kitchen, making sure that the food was the best available, and exquisitely prepared. The children took their seats and the teachers announced the first two school prefects to the student body. Helga addressed the school and told them that based on their exemplary behaviour over the previous months, the students would be allowed their first visit to Hogsmeade village in two weeks time. The four teachers, who would patrol the streets and make sure that no one was lost, injured, or engaged in any mischief, would supervise this visit. Helga and Godric's spouses would remain at the school with any students who did not wish to go. There was a buzz of conversation at this announcement, and for the next two weeks, the students tingled with repressed excitement.

The day finally arrived. The ground was covered with a light dusting of snow and there was a nip in the air. Virtually the entire student body had signed up to go to Hogsmeade. Helga stood guard at the gates and checked the names of everyone against her list as they left the school grounds. Godric and Salazar took up positions along the path to ensure that no student went astray, while Rowena went on to the village to greet the students as they arrived. Once all the students were within the village boundaries, the teachers patrolled the street, breaking up any disagreements and occasionally going inside a shop to make sure that the students were well behaved. As this first visit was a bit of an experiment to make sure that the students could be trusted on their own, the teachers took no chances.

After several hours had gone by with no real problems, the teachers left the prefects in charge and went into the Hogsmeade Inn to say hello to their friend Rosie. They had been out of doors for some time and wished to warm up a bit before escorting the students back to the school. The ladies ordered some tea and the men tankards of mulled mead, but just when they were about to sit, Hypolyta came running in, breathless.

'Please come quick! There's been a student injured!' She shouted, as the teachers grabbed their cloaks and ran out the door after her. At the boundaries of the village, they found a little boy, one of the youngest students, lying on the ground with a wound to the head.

'What happened here?' Demanded Godric while Helga and Rowena examined the nasty bruise to the boy's left temple.

'I'm not sure. I heard some yelling, and as I came up the boy was on the ground, cradling something. Several other boys were running back to the village, but I don't remember which ones. I found him just like this, and came to get you.'

'Godric, this boy has been attacked. This bump on the head appears to have been made by a flung stone, and there are other bruises and abrasions on him as well. We need to get him up to the castle, and quickly.' Said Helga, finishing her examination of the child.

Godric's face hardened. He turned and headed off to the village to round up the students and escort them back to the school. Rowena conjured up a stretcher for the child, and Helga took him up the path. Hypolyta looked close to hysterics, and while Rowena tried to calm her, Salazar examined the ground around where the boy had fallen. Suddenly he stopped, and bending down, he picked up a small snake that had hidden in a clump of leaves under a bush. Rowena gasped. The snake also showed signs of injury, and Salazar seemed more concerned over its welfare than that of the boy. She almost thought she could hear him hissing softly at the thing. Without a word, he cradled the snake in the crook of his arm and covering it with a fold of his cloak, headed up to the school.

Godric came back up the path to where Rowena and Hypolyta were standing staring up at Salazar's retreating back.

'Where is he going?' asked Godric, looking up at Salazar.

'Up to the school. I'll explain on the way,' responded Rowena. They and the two prefects took up positions around the students, and they proceeded in a grim march back to Hogwarts.

When the arrived, the students were escorted to the Great Hall and left under the supervision of the prefects and a contingent of house elves. They were under strict instructions that the students were not allowed to speak with each other until the teachers returned from checking on the injured little boy.

In the infirmary, Helga had already healed most of the little boy's injuries, though the bump on the head would need a poultice and bandage for a few days. The boy was a first level named Seth, and he was still unconscious. She was now examining the little snake that Salazar had brought up to the school. When Rowena and Godric arrived, Rowena asked Salazar what he had been doing with the snake.

'I was asking it what had happened,' he responded, to looks of surprise.

'You were… talking… to a snake?' Said Rowena in disbelief.

'It's not something that I have widely advertised, but I can converse with the beasts. It has come in very useful on occasion. I thought that this one might know what happened to the child.' He replied.

'And did it tell you anything of value?' asked Godric sarcastically. 'After all, serpents are not known for being the most trustworthy of creatures.'

Salazar looked shocked and angry at this. 'If you must know, snakes are very loyal, but only to those they trust. Most of the time, they have no use for us, but this one is very young and apparently Seth found him last week and befriended him. According to my little friend, the boy had let him out for some air during the visit to the village. Three older boys found him and were throwing rocks at him when Seth arrived and tried to defend his friend. They boys then attacked Seth as well, and he was hit with one of the stones.'

Through their shock at this story, the others were intrigued. In spite of how long they had known their friend, this was the first they had heard of his unusual ability. They also realized that depending on how well the little snake could communicate, Salazar's ability could be very useful indeed.

'Is it possible… do you think… perhaps, could the little snake identify the attackers?' asked Helga.

'I think so. The little one is tired at the moment, and needs to rest. He trusts me, so I will care for him. In a few hours, when he is ready, I will ask that he identify the ones who did this. I do think that we need to give him a name though. He was first befriended by young Seth, and in snake language 'friend of Seth' would be Ni'Seth. It will do as well as anything else for the moment.' The little snake purred its acceptance of the name. Godric in particular was surprised at the snake's comprehension of human speech. Getting over his surprise, he started making plans.

'Very well. I will go to the Great Hall and address the school. If the ladies will assist me, I think we should question all the students as well, just in case Ni'Seth cannot identify the ones responsible. Considering the nature of what happened, I think that the visits to Hogsmeade need to be reconsidered for the time being. Perhaps later on we can establish some rules and guidelines for Hogsmeade visits that will prevent this sort of thing from happening again in the future. Shall we ladies?'

Godric, Rowena and Helga headed out to the Great Hall to talk with the children. Most of the students were bewildered as to why the visit had been cut short, and why they were all congregated in the Great Hall in silence. The three teachers walked in to the room and stood at the front of the hall to speak. Godric took the lead, with Helga and Rowena in support positions behind him. As Godric rose to speak, the students could tell by his expression that something gravely serious had happened. Godric explained that one student had been deliberately injured by other students during the visit to Hogsmeade, and that they would be interviewing each student individually to determine who was at fault. The proclamation that there would be no further visits to the village until the perpetrators were caught was met by exclamations of shock and dismay, for most of the students had enjoyed the visit and had been well behaved. Godric encouraged those who were responsible to come forward on their own and admit the transgression. He explained that there had been a witness to the attack, (though he glossed over the peculiar nature of the witness), and the students were informed that the punishment for any person who came forward on their own would be far less than if they were identified by others.

Once Salazar joined them, the teachers began questioning the students one by one. Salazar patrolled the Great Hall making sure that the students maintained decorum. Ni'Seth was curled up on his shoulder and in reality his walks up and down the tables were to give the little snake a chance to get a good look at the face of each student. They reached a group of third level boys that were sitting clustered together. The boys looked up into Salazar's stern face with apprehension. Ni'Seth leaned in and hissed into Salazar's ear. The boys flinched when they noticed the little snake perched on the teacher's shoulder. Salazar nodded and made to move on to the next group of students. Two of the boys looked relieved as the teacher moved on, but one of them lost his nerve.

'Professor?' he said tentatively.

The other students around him stared, and his two friends glared at him and tried to shush him, but it was too late.

'Yes?' said Salazar, turning to look at the boy. He was rather small for his age, with large brown eyes and mousy hair. Compared to the other two boys, he was miniscule, for they were easily the biggest students in their class. His name was Royson and he was a son of one of the wealthier families of Britain. The others were also from wealthy families, and the three had been friends before coming to Hogwarts. From the looks that the other two were giving him at that moment, they greatly desired to take full advantage of their larger size over him at the next available opportunity. Salazar gave them a look that plainly said he had noted their identities and that there would be a reckoning later.

'Is it okay… I mean, could I possibly speak with you and Professor Gryffindor next please?' Royson asked timidly.

'I think that can be arranged. Please come with me now.' The boy stood up and with the whole school watching, followed Salazar out the door to the office where the questioning was taking place. As soon as they were outside the door, the Hall erupted in the noise of a hundred children all talking at once. The prefects tried to get everyone to quiet down while the students near the two remaining boys gave them a wide berth as they sat alone, exposed in their guilt.

Salazar and the student who had come forward went into the nearby office and spoke with Godric. Royson held nothing back, and said that he and the other two had found the little snake and wanted to have some fun teasing it. They didn't realize that Seth had befriended the snake and when he came running to its defense, the other two had proceeded to tease him as well. The boy claimed that Seth had few friends, and that the two had marked him early on as a target. According to his story, they picked on Seth at every opportunity, mainly because he came from a poorer family than theirs. When asked why he didn't come forward earlier, Royson claimed that his friends had threatened him into silence.

The teachers weren't sure how much of this story could be trusted, but Ni'Seth had pointed out the other two boys first, and after being questioned, the little snake corroborated Royson's claim that he had not participated in the attack, only watched. Royson was given detention, and was told that a letter would be sent to his parents regarding his misconduct. The other two boys were called in, and they flatly denied any involvement, and loudly proclaimed their innocence. They were told that they had been identified as the main attackers, and they were suspended until the winter term. The teachers contacted the parents of the two boys, and were told to pack their things.

The suspension of the two main culprits caused the rest of the school to be very subdued. For the next several days, as young Seth recovered under Helga's care, everyone was on his or her absolute best behaviour. No one even spoke in anything much over a whisper. After Seth was released with a full recovery, and Royson had done his detention, the shock began to wear off, and the school returned to normal. One day in late November, after things had settled a bit, Royson made his way over to the table where Seth was eating his breakfast.

'Seth? I just wanted you to know… I'm so sorry for what I did. I never thought anyone would get hurt. I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier.' Royson stared at his feet, unable to look Seth in the face.

Seth looked at Royson and saw the regret in his face. Being a kindhearted boy, there was only one course of action for him to take.

'Don't worry about it, these things happen. I think that those two hurt you nearly as much as they hurt me, so let's forget it shall we? Anyway, the bacon looks particularly good this morning, would you like to join me?' The look of relief on Royson's face could not be mistaken, and from that day, they were friends.

After the issue of the botched visit to Hogsmeade had run its course, the focus of gossip at the school returned to the upcoming nuptials of two of the school's founders. The wedding was now only one month away, and none of the students wanted to miss it. Ni'Seth was now a fixture on Salazar's shoulder as they prowled around the school. Salazar's life could not be any more busy as he taught class, made wedding preparations, and in his few spare moments, arranged for some special gifts to give to his best friends at the ball. Though he was looking forward to his upcoming wedding, and loved Rowena almost to distraction, he was nervous about being a bridegroom. As with the start of term feast, he felt that he was approaching an event for which he was not well equipped.

Through the month of December, the tension reached a head until finally the day was almost upon them. The Christmas exams had gone extremely well, with most students attaining good grades. The entire student body looked forward to the wedding, and the blissful two weeks of holidays that would follow. On the eve of the wedding, Rosie sent word from the Hogsmeade Inn that she was at full capacity, and the school was almost full to the rafters with wedding guests as well. During dinner that evening, Salazar and Rowena could not eat so much as one bite, and kept stealing glances at each other. Ni'Seth seemed to have no worries, and lapped at a saucer of milk on the table near Salazar's plate. Helga was going to spend the night with her friend, keeping her company, while Godric would be staying with Salazar. Godric jokingly said that he would be spending much of the night trying to keep Salazar from constantly throwing up, but he seemed to be the only person to find this funny. After dinner was over, the students were sent to bed and Rowena and Salazar spent a precious hour together before retiring themselves. They exchanged a lingering kiss under the mistletoe hung in the staff room, and then proceeded to their chambers. They would not see each other again until the ceremony.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own this,JK does, blah blah blah

A/N: I had to do quite a bit of editing on this chapter and I'm still not sure how well it turned out since I don't have a beta-reader. Any comments or friendly criticism is welcomed. Please review.

**Chapter Six:**

The day of the wedding had finally arrived. It was the most perfect day that they could have asked for. A gentle snow had fallen the night before, and the world was covered with a soft blanket of white. Everything looked fresh and clean as the school grounds were set up for the ceremony that evening.

Rowena woke up feeling nervous and nauseated. Helga, having married twice herself, had anticipated this and stocked up a generous supply of calming draught, as well as a supply of stomach-calming chamomile tea. She encouraged her friend to eat, as she would need her strength today, but Rowena was unable to keep even a few bites of toast down. Although there were many hours to go until the ceremony would start, there were so many things that needed to be done that Rowena worried over whether everything would be ready in time. However everyone knew what needed to be done, and the set up was progressing marvelously. Helga tried to keep Rowena's worries to a minimum, and made sure that she focused on her own preparations.

Tradition stated that on this day she should not take a direct part in the final preparations, but should spend the day with her bridesmaids in seclusion, so Rowena would not be leaving her chambers until the ceremony. There were also numerous rituals that were to be performed, as they were going with the old ceremony. Helga had thought that the full seclusion was a little excessive, but Rowena had insisted. This wedding was going to take place very much in the public eye, and she did not want anyone to have any reason to criticize. First, Rowena took the bridal bath. The bath was full of lavender petals and scented oils, and the process took several hours as there were many rituals involved. Certain incantations had to be said over the bath water, to ensure good luck and happiness, and there were special procedures for the disposal of the water, to make sure that the luck did not get washed away with it. After the bath, Rowena was relaxed enough to eat a small lunch while the girls she had selected to be her bridesmaids attended to their own cleansing rituals. During the meal she was able to meditate a little, and when her ladies rejoined her, she was in far better spirits. The ladies laughed and joked as they arranged their hair.

Helga had procured some seeds for foreign flowers for wedding decorations, and after planting them in an isolated section of the greenhouse, she 'encouraged' the flowers to bloom out of season. All the ladies not only had extensive bouquets of white lilies, but had them in their hair as well. After these things were finished, the ladies sat in Rowena's chambers in their undergarments, since they did not want to wrinkle their dresses by sitting in them before the ceremony. A small tea was served, more to pass the time than to fill their bellies, as they were too excited and high-strung to eat much of anything with the ceremony growing closer. There would be a large banquet afterwards anyway, so they knew that there would be plenty to eat later on.

While her ladies chatted, Rowena sat by her window in her undergarments looking out at the evening sun. She thought about Salazar, and wondered how his own preparations were going.

Salazar's day had not gone as smoothly as Rowena's. For one thing, he had not slept a wink the night before, but passed the hours thinking of his new bride and how excited he was to finally call her his own. When morning came, he was so tired from lack of sleep and so anxious about the coming ceremony that he was rather sharp with everyone. Even Godric received a few sharp words when he came to fetch Salazar to breakfast. Salazar had wanted to personally oversee the final stages; obsessed with making sure everything was perfect. Godric had overruled him, telling him that everything was taken care of and that he had other more important things to do that day. Salazar was very grumpy when he went about his own pre-wedding rituals, and performed them perfunctorily, with little thought or focus. He did not have nearly as much to do to prepare as Rowena, needing only to cleanse himself and meditate, and ended up sitting in his rooms in silence as the groomsmen finished up their tasks.

Like Rowena, he had chosen several of the older students to fill the ranks of the wedding party in addition to their best friends. With five additional attendants each, there should have been plenty to keep him occupied, but everyone knew what needed to be done and his sharp instructions were not needed. Finally, just as his patience was about spent, he was told that the time had almost come and the assembled guests were about to be seated. He put on his silver dress robes, fixed his white fox fur cape around his neck, and proceeded to the area of the grounds where the ceremony would take place with Godric beside him.

With all the guests that had been invited, even the Great Hall would not accommodate such a crowd. Earlier on in the day, Godric had overseen the placement of repelling charms on the area, in case the weather turned on them, as well as warming charms to keep the guests from freezing. Now, as the sun passed the horizon, shedding its last warming rays of light, a glowing dusk settled. A thousand seats had been set up under interwoven trellises that were covered with greenery and flowers. Various shrubs had been placed around the pavilion, covered in white and gold ribbon, and several thousand glittering fairies were perched in the bushes and on the latticework, bestowing a twinkling light on the proceedings. Ice sculptures dotted the landscape, and in this snowy world of glitter and ice, Salazar stepped forward to await his bride.

A hush settled on the gathered people of the magical community as they saw Salazar take his place, and for a moment the only sound that could be heard was that of a thousand heads turning to get their first look at the bride. Then a piano began to play accompanied by what seemed like a hundred flutes and violins. The wedding march was beautifully restrained, and the music seemed to whisper softly to the congregation.

First Helga came up the aisle, followed by Hypolyta and four other girls in her class. They were clad in dresses of a deep red velvet, with white fur collars and had bouquets of white lilies clutched in their hands. The dresses matched the robes of the groomsmen, who were also wearing deep red velvet, with white fur capes draped around their shoulders.

Salazar's first sight of his bride quite literally stole his breath away. Rowena stepped into the centre of the aisle and stopped for a moment, which allowed everyone to get a good look at her. She was wearing a full gown of heavy golden brocade. The gown was gathered tightly at the bodice, showing off her trim figure, and was cut daringly low. A very full white fox fur collar made of draped around her long slim neck and down her shoulders. She wore a spectacular gold necklace with a large diamond pendant, and on her golden hair she wore the tiara that Salazar had given her for Christmas the preceding year. The dress had a long train, which floated behind her, carried by a dozen sparkling pixies. The most spectacular feature of this dress though was the fact that concealed in many little tucks and gathers were hundreds upon hundreds of little fairies. As they glowed and winked like fireflies, the dress itself seemed be alive with light.

Salazar started to see spots in front of his eyes as he held his breath staring at Rowena. Godric leaned over and gave him a nudge.

'Breathe, Sal, breathe!' he whispered, and Salazar took a gasping breath while trying to pick his jaw up off the floor.

As Rowena took her place standing beside him, she passed her bouquet of lilies to Helga, and with a shy glance and a blush, she and Salazar clasped hands. Through the beginning of the ceremony, neither of them heard much of what Merlin was saying. They were too preoccupied with each other. They were finally drawn back into the ceremony when Merlin began the most important part.

'We are here to bear witness to the joining of these two people in marriage. The bond of matrimony is not one to be taken lightly, and though the two people we have here before us are not strangers to dedication and commitment, this is very different from any pledge they have taken before. Both have spent the long hours of this day in preparation for the promises they are to exchange here before us now. Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, it has been a long and circuitous route that has brought you here together today. Now I must ask each of you; having thought about this in your meditations, are you both committed to making this covenant, without reserve or hesitation?'

'Yes,' they replied in unison.

'Do you promise to love, honour and respect each other for all your days?'

'Yes.'

'Do you promise to live your lives as one, to share your hopes and dreams with the other, and to be bound as one heart in two bodies?'

'Yes.'

'Do you understand that in taking this vow, you will each be giving the other a piece of yourself, and a part of you will remain with the other forever?'

'Yes.'

'Then Salazar, Rowena, I ask you to each put your right hand over the heart of the other as I perform the Binding Ceremony'

Rowena raised her right hand and laid it on Salazar's hard chest. She felt Salazar's hand placed over her own heart and wondered if he could feel how rapidly it was beating. Merlin raised his hands over them as if in benediction spoke the incantation in a voice that seemed to be magnified a hundredfold.

'**_IN FIDELITAS ET AMOR PERMISSUM ILLA DUOS EXSISTO REUS PRO TOTUS VICIS!'_**

Slowly a drumming noise started, like that of two hearts beating. The sound was discordant, as though the two were in opposition to each other. The sound grew louder, and began to stutter in a sharp staccato. As the beating grew faster and more insistent, the two of them began to glow. The glow became brighter and brighter as the pounding grew louder, then suddenly it turned a blinding white, and an orb of light containing a piece of each one's spirit emerged from their hearts. The spheres of light swirled around the two, then stopped above their heads. The two orbs then merged into one, and it expanded to surround the both of them. The light seemed to pulse for a moment and as it pulsed it seemed to flow into their very bodies. When the glow dimmed, the beating sound also slowed, and merged, until it seemed that it had turned to a deep and resonant thrumming, like that of a giant chord. Instead of two hearts beating in opposition, now it was like there was one giant heart beating strong and steady.

Once it was finished, Merlin said in a great voice 'It is done! You are now joined as one. Together, you are now bound forever. A part of each of you is now always with the other. This is a great responsibility, for you now have great power over each other. The power to hurt, and the power to heal. You will grow together, and the spirits that you have merged will become stronger with time. I wish you happiness and joy in your life together. I now pronounce that Salazar and Rowena are Bound.'

The two grinned at each other and exchanged a kiss, to the applause of the entire assembly. The ceremony was complete. For better or worse, they were now married. They walked back down the aisle together, holding hands and waving to the guests as they shouted well wishes to the new husband and wife. They led the gathered guests to the tabled area where the feast was to take place.

The feast was set up adjacent to where the ceremony had taken place. There were hundreds of tables in front of the extremely long head table, and on a platform nearby, all the gifts were on display for the throng to see. Rowena had given Salazar an exquisitely wrought dagger of elf-cast silver for their wedding. She knew that he had wanted a high quality silver knife for his potion making, but he insisted that it was too beautiful for practical use and he would keep it on display. She did demand that he pay her one bronze knut for it, so that the gift would never cut their love. Salazar had worried and fussed over what to give her for their wedding. He had wanted it to be something truly memorable and rare, and had found out about a flower called a Bleeding Heart that only grew in foreign areas. He had provided the seeds to Helga, who had nurtured them to full growth. Rowena was entranced by the white flowers, which looked just like its name, heart shaped, with a tiny teardrop hanging from the bottom. Salazar had put a preservation spell on it so that it would never wither.

The newly married couple took their place at the head table with their friends, their friends' spouses, and the rest of the wedding party. Once all the guests had been seated, Godric stood and raised his glass in toast to the newlyweds.

'Dear friends, I am proud and honoured to have stood by you on this special day. Salazar, I can honestly say that I have never seen you this happy. I have seen you in many states, please, proud, and excited, but I have never seen you truly content until now. It is something I had thought I would never see. Truly, I love you like a brother, and your happiness is only equalled by my own.

'Rowena, you have always been regarded as one of the most beautiful of women, but on this day, your beauty surpasses even that of the stars. I am so pleased that my best friend has chosen you, and I could never have wished for a more beautiful, caring and intelligent mate for him.' Godric winked. 'Even if your choice of husband has caused us to question that intelligence on occasion! So, I would like to make a toast to the happy couple. Salazar, Rowena, I hope you will have luck in the years to come, and may you have many more such happy days!'

The collected guests applauded and drank deeply to the as Godric went to sit down. Salazar stopped him with a raised hand and stood. There was some surprise at this as it was unplanned and Salazar was not known for spontaneous gestures. Reaching behind him, Salazar picked up a long, intricately carved case made of the deepest ebony, and held it before him.

'Godric, we have been friends for a very long time. On this occasion, I wish to give you a gift to thank you for all your years of fellowship. I think you will find it is well suited to you. Take this as a token of our friendship and also as a thank you for introducing me to Rowena all those years ago.' Salazar handed the box over to Godric as the guests craned their necks trying to see what this special gift would be.

Godric took the case, laying it gently on the table in front of him. He opened the bronze clasp and lifted the lid to reveal an intricately crafted sword encrusted with rubies. It had his name engraved upon the flat of the blade. Lying underneath the blade was an exquisite dragon hide scabbard. Godric lifted the blade and it shone in the light of the many torches surrounding the tables. As he held it in his hand he could tell that it was a finely crafted piece of work. It was perfectly balanced, and the grip was firm in his hand. Gasps of surprise and wonder came from the gathered guests as they saw the blade. With tears glistening in his eyes, Godric placed the sword back in its case and embraced Salazar, mumbling sincere thanks. Gesturing for everyone to begin the feast, Salazar again took his seat.

The sheer amount of food was staggering in its immensity. For several hours, the guests ate, drank and talked until they could eat no more. Then, with great dignity, Salazar stood and led his bride to the dance floor for the opening song. As a slow melody began to play, he whirled Rowena around the floor. Salazar was an accomplished dancer, as was Rowena, and with heart-stopping grace they glided together, oblivious to all others. When the first dance was over, others made their way to the floor, and a true party began. By the small hours of the morning, when feet began to hurt and carefully styled hair began to slip, the guests began to think about their beds. Salazar and Rowena, having danced with virtually every guest in attendance, were also looking forward to some more private time and began to say their farewells.

As Salazar and Rowena approached Godric to say goodnight, they saw that he was extremely inebriated.

'Godric, I think you should head to bed soon, you look about ready to fall over,' Rowena said, clucking her tongue at him.

'Jusht you shush! I'm having shome fun, and you t-two should have been off a long time ago.' he responded, his speech slurred from drink.

'Well, you do throw a good party Godric, we didn't want to miss any of it.' Said Salazar slyly.

'Yesh it ish a good party, and I don't want to mish a minute of it! I'll shtay right here thank you very mush!' And with that he flopped into a chair and grabbed another bottle of wine.

'Very well. We'll likely be gone by the time you recover from this tomorrow, so just remember that I have a supply of _vomitatus finit _potion in my store cabinet. Goodnight, Godric, we will see you in two weeks.'

Godric nodded, and just as he took a long drink of wine straight from the bottle his wife came up and began to scold him.

Salazar offered his arm to Rowena to lead her up to the castle. As they walked to the front doors, Rowena turned to Salazar.

'You know he won't remember about the potion. Maybe we should leave a note for him.'

Salazar smirked. 'I don't think so. He should enjoy ALL the aspects of his great party, including the morning after. If he doesn't remember, then maybe he won't drink so much next time.'

Looking back, Rowena chuckled and said, 'You really think so? You have more faith in people than I would have guessed.'

'Godric will be fine. He's had his fun, and I'm glad, but right now, I just want to be alone with you.'

As they shared a kiss, the last thing they heard before they entered the castle was Godric shouting from behind them, 'Hey Shal! Thanks again for the Shword!'

End Chapter Six 

( In fidelity and love let these two be bound together for all time)


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

Salazar and Rowena did not sleep that night. It was quite late when they had retired from the party, and they had to leave early the next morning. They took Ni'Seth with them, as Salazar didn't trust the others to look after the little snake in his absence. Ni'Seth had taken up almost permanent residence on Salazar's shoulder over the last few months, and grew very petulant when removed. This caused some friction between Rowena and her husband, as she wanted to be alone with him, and this was impossible with the snake sitting on Salazar's shoulder hissing in his ear every few minutes. Rowena's house elf, Flicky, was also with them, as there was so much to do that Rowena would never have been able to complete everything alone. Her wardrobe alone took up four trunks, and it fell to Flicky to maintain her clothing, serve them their meals when they were not at parties, and to generally keep them organized. The house-elf was in her element, as she adored her mistress and was constantly scolding Rowena about the way she cared for her things.

So at dawn on Christmas, before all the guests had awoken, the two of them sneaked out of the castle with all their things for their honeymoon. First there was a quick trip to Salazar's London house, where they were able to exchange Christmas gifts and share a few quiet days before the parties and celebrations started. Each of the most influential and wealthy families wanted to host a party for the newlywed couple, and as Salazar wanted to show off his new bride, they attended every one. Salazar never left Rowena's side, and as they met with members of the Ministry and other various famous and prestigious people, he held her arm in his and beamed. He spun her around dance floor after dance floor in London, Paris, Rome, Athens and many other cities that they visited during their tour. Rowena did not really mind; after all, he was just as happy to be married as she was, and marriage meant compromise. She relished the time that they spent alone, but the amount that they had grew smaller and smaller as the days passed. By the end, she was looking forward to returning to Hogwarts so that they could spend some real quality time together, without a large crowd around.

The last night of their honeymoon was spent packing up. They had received a large number of additional gifts, and had spent some of their time shopping. Salazar had spent a great deal of money on some very rare potions ingredients that could only be found abroad, such as eggs from a unique species of giant salamander, Parisian pixie wings and the root and bark from a famous Fig tree in Greece. Rowena had done some shopping as well, but her purchases centred more on gifts for friends and family at home. She had picked up several scrolls on new healing techniques in Athens and a beautiful Roman goblet for Helga. For Godric, she had procured some Goblin-made armour in the Roman style to match the sword that Salazar had given him at their wedding. She knew that he would find it very appealing, and would likely display it somewhere prominent in the corridor leading to his tower chambers.

Rowena and Flicky were desperately trying to fit all of this into the cases that they had brought with them, with no success. Rowena was just contemplating using an expansion charm on their luggage to make room when the house elf let out a huge shriek.

'Shoo! Shoo! Oh Mistress will not like this, will not like this at all! Nasty little beastie sleeping in Mistress's good dresses! Out! Out!' said the elf, doing a little dance and waving her hands at the trunk containing Rowena's best clothing.

'What is it Flicky?' asked Rowena tiredly.

'Little snakey thing is sleeping in your best dress Mistress! I'se told Master Salazar over and over to keep snake thing out of Mistresses things, buts he doesn't listen to Flicky.'

Rowena walked over, and sure enough there was Ni'Seth curled up on top of her best evening gown, hissing furiously at Flicky. Rowena laughed.

'Is this where he's been sleeping? I know Salazar has been wondering where he at night. Looks like you startled him out of a deep sleep Flicky. I'll go get Salazar and see if he can relocate him to a place where he won't be in the way.'

As Rowena walked off to get Salazar, she could hear Ni'Seth hissing at Flicky as she muttered,

'Relocate? Send him back to the swamp I should. Icky little beastie sleeping on Mistress's gown. Shoo!'

When Rowena returned with Salazar, Flicky was twirling around the room shrieking and tugging on Ni'Seth, who had latched onto her nose and was hanging on for dear life. The two of them stopped dead at the grotesque tableau and watched as the two of them spun round and round the room. Finally Salazar had had enough and decided to stop it. Pulling out his wand he shouted,

'_Imobulus!'_

The two froze in mid twirl and Flicky, balanced precariously on one foot, toppled over. Salazar put his wand away, and walked over to the two of them.

'What is going on here?' he asked in a dreadful voice normally reserved for misbehaving students.

'Salazar, you froze them, they can't answer you right now. I suspect that Flicky tried to get him out of my trunk herself instead of waiting for us.' Rowena took out her own wand and released Flicky and Ni'Seth. The snake disengaged it's jaws from around Flicky's turnip like nose, and slithered over to Salazar who picked the snake up and put him on his usual shoulder perch. Ni'Seth started hissing angrily into Salazar's ear.

'Rowena, according to Ni'Seth, your elf attacked him with a stick. After what happened last November, it is understandable that he reacted in such a manner and I expect that Flicky will apologise and punish herself for this behaviour.'

'Won't! Won't! Flicky was just trying to keep snake thing from wriggling into Mistress's undergarments Flicky was! Tried to move little snake, not attack it! Snake attacked Flicky! Bit Flicky's nose and made it bleed it did!' Flicky was turning red with indignation and hid behind Rowena's skirts. Salazar's temper was rising quickly, but all Rowena could do was shrug. She knew that Salazar trusted Ni'Seth, but Flicky was incapable of lying.

'Perhaps it was only a misunderstanding Salazar.' She said.

Flicky shook her head and blew a raspberry at the snake perched on Salazar's shoulder. Salazar regarded the elf with distaste.

'Rowena, in the future I expect that you will teach your servant to have better manners. I would think that considering the fact that we are now married, I am afforded some respect from your elf, but I see that this is not the case. I warn you Rowena, I will not have such insolence in my household.'

With that, he stalked out of the room. Rowena shook her head, and patched up Flicky's nose as best she could. She decided to have Helga take a look at it when they returned. It was lucky for Flicky that Ni'Seth was not venomous, but her nose still hurt terribly, and she kept rubbing at it for the rest of the day.

As they finished the packing, Rowena was deep in thought. She knew that Salazar was a proud man, and that he had a temper, but she never figured that he would take it out on her elf that way. She was very protective of Flicky, whose family had served the Ravenclaws for many generations. Rowena avoided Salazar that afternoon, more to keep him away from her elf than for any other reason, though she did not want to face his temper either.

The return trip to Hogwarts was tense, but uneventful. When they returned to the school, everyone acted normal, and Salazar seemed like his normal self. He greeted Godric, Helga and the students warmly, and laughed and joked with everyone at the small welcoming feast that was held on the first day back from holidays. For the first few days, everything seemed normal. After a while though, everyone could tell that things were not well with the couple.

The little snake had developed quite a grudge during the course of the honeymoon. He had come to resent Rowena, and Salazar's devotion to her. Ni'Seth was still frequently perched on his shoulder, and every time Rowena came into the room, the little snake would hiss in disapproval. The serpent didn't directly criticise Rowena, but frequently made comments about the devotion of a snake mate, and how a female serpent would know her place. When Rowena wasn't around, Ni'Seth would hiss in his ear, pouring poison into it. Salazar was short with Rowena, and only said as much to her as necessary. In fact, he only spoke to her when he needed something, and even then he formed his requests in the tone of a demand. Rowena did not appreciate this, and frequently ignored him, which only increased his temper, and made Ni'Seth's comments carry more and more weight.

Whenever Flicky entered the room, Ni'Seth would make disparaging remarks about the elf as well, playing up the 'attempt' on its life. Flicky refused to obey any instructions given to her by Salazar until he had apologised to her for accusing her. At this, Ni'Seth would hiss about how shameful it was that Salazar didn't have the full respect of his household. Rowena realised that the whole thing had started with Flicky and Ni'Seth, and she thought that she could at least extend an olive branch by ordering Flicky to apologise first. She had hoped that this would be met with a matching apology, but Flicky's words were coldly ignored by man and snake alike.

Godric and Helga were at a loss as to how to deal with all this, and even knowing Salazar's tendency to carry a grudge, figured that the new couple should be left to work it out on their own. They had each had fights with their own respective spouses, and knew that marriage did not mean a blissful life, but they could see that the pot was about ready to boil over.

Rowena finally had enough. She was sick of not being able to enjoy her new marriage, and was ashamed that she and her husband had had such a large fight so soon after their wedding. After classes one day in mid-January Rowena approached Salazar in his study on the first floor, down the hall from their chambers. She knocked lightly on the door and when she heard Salazar say 'enter', she stepped in.

'Yes?' Salazar said.

'Salazar, don't you think we are being a little ridiculous?' She asked.

'I don't know what you are talking about.' He responded coldly. Rowena's thoughts about keeping the discussion civil went out the window at his tone.

'Really? That's interesting, because I never thought that you were an idiot.' She shot back at him.

Salazar raised an eyebrow. 'Some of the bravest men in the country haven't dared to call me an idiot, and yet the woman I married does so without batting an eyelash.'

'Well, the term idiot may be a little mild. I could substitute 'moron' if you like. How about 'dunderhead'? Or perhaps the term 'imbecile' is more to your liking?'

Salazar finally looked up from his papers to see Rowena standing in front of him, her right hand on her hip, and her foot tapping in irritation. Ni'Seth had come to full attention when Rowena had entered the room and at this, he started hissing in Salazar's ear, so quietly that even Salazar was unaware of the little snake's vocalisations.

'_Again, she does it. Again she refuses to respect your position.'_

Salazar responded to Rowena with cold sarcasm. 'Is there some particular reason why you feel like insulting me today? Or are you just getting into practice for the end of year exams? Judging by some of these early test results the students need a great deal more revision before they can come up to standard. I think that we need to schedule some spare time in for them for extra study, and perhaps set aside an additional classroom for those who want quiet. I also think…'

'I really don't care what you think Salazar, and don't try to change the subject. You have been treating me coldly ever since the last day of our honeymoon, and I can tell you that this is not the way that I wanted things to be. So, since you seem to be disinclined to resolve the situation, I thought that I would venture in here and tell you what my thoughts are on the subject. You have been terrible rude to me, and to Flicky. I thought you should know exactly what I think about how you've been behaving.'

'_She dares! She dares to insinuate that you are at fault when it was her elf creature!'_

Salazar stood up and stared at her, his temper rising again.

'How I've! Rowena, your elf was the one who started the whole thing!'

'Yes! And she apologised. And I want you to apologise to her! You treated her so rudely it was unbelievable.'

'She attacked Ni'Seth! And you are accusing ME of being rude! I didn't say anything to her that any responsible owner wouldn't have said, and you should have been the one to say it not I!'

'I don't think she did anything wrong! And she is MY elf, if you remember correctly? You don't have the authority to order her around!'

'_She flaunts it in your face! She waves it like a dead mouse under your nose! She should have given you the authority when you mated…it is your right…' _the snake continued to hiss unnoticed into Salazar's ear.

'No I don't, and you don't seem to be planning to give me that authority, no matter how things have changed between us are you?'

'What on earth do you mean by that?"

'I'm your husband now! But if I want the house elf to do something, I have to get your 'permission' before telling her to do anything! It's insulting! I'm head of the household, but even the elf won't listen to me! I demand that you turn over her ownership to me!'

'She's my elf! If you want someone to order around get an elf of your own!'

'Why should I bother! I already have a wife who won't do what she's told!'

'I am your wife not your property!' Rowena shrieked at the top of her lungs, while tears streamed down her face. 'Just because I married you does not mean that you own me! I am Rowena Ravenclaw, not some cheap barmaid!'

'_Do you see her audacity? She did not even follow your custom of taking your name! The shame… the disrespect… she belittles you…'_

Salazar got up and slammed his hands down on the desk.

'Rowena Ravenclaw? No! You're a Slytherin now! My wife! You married me remember? And that means that I am the head of the household, and as your husband I deserve respect if not obedience!'

'Obedience? To you? I don't think so Salazar! Regardless of what you think, I am still the same person I was before we married, though you seem to have changed. The great man that I married has become a cowardly bully!'

At that, Salazar charged around the desk and backhanded her across the face.

Rowena's head snapped around with a vicious _crack_, and she tumbled to the floor. Salazar stood over her in shock, all his anger gone, replaced with a cold dousing of fear.

'My God! Rowena, I'm sor… I… Rowena? Are you… oh no… Rowena?' Salazar bent down and lifted her slightly, and a shot of pain lanced through him as she recoiled from him in fear. She sat on the floor against the desk, one hand pressed to the livid mark on her cheek, staring at him in horror. Salazar tried to reach out to her, to help her, to comfort her, but she jumped up off the floor and ran back to their apartments down the corridor.

Salazar was still crouched down on the floor, hanging his head in shock and shame. He couldn't believe what he had done! The argument had really been a small one, but as she had resisted him his anger and rage had grown so that it had turned into something far greater that what he could control. Ni'Seth undulated his way back up to his perch on Salazar's shoulder, which he had lost when Salazar had charged around his desk.

'_Ni'Seth, what did I do wrong?' _Salazar asked his friend. '_How did the argument get out of control? What did I do? How could I have hit her?'_

'_You showed your dominance Slytherin. That is all you did. You put her in her place, as is proper. It was what needed to be done. I just made sure that you did it.'_

'_Made sure that I…? What are you saying? What do you mean? I would never… You tried to turn me against her? I trusted you and you… Get out of here!'_

'_Be careful Slytherin. You must be sure that this is what you want. Having the female obey you is a necessity. You are destined for great things and she would only get in the way. I whispered in your ear, yes, but it was for the greater good.'_

'_I SAID GET OUT OF THIS CASTLE! YOU ARE NO LONGER WELCOME HERE! I WILL NEVER LISTEN TO YOU AGAIN!'_

Salazar snatched the little snake from off his shoulder and threw it out the window. Ni'Seth was not greatly injured by the fall, and turned to look back up at the window.

'_I have tried to help you Slytherin, because your soul is like a serpent's. But you have rejected me, and I will not forget it. One day, you will come to me for help, and I will give it out of remembrance of past friendship,' _as the little snake made his way towards the forest, Salazar could barely hear his last words. '_but beware, for my help will come at great cost, and my bite, though small, has a great sting…'_

With that the little snake was gone, and Salazar Slytherin sat down and wept

Several hours later, Salazar found Rowena in their apartments and apologised. He explained what had happened with the little snake, and tried to make it up to her by being extra solicitous over the next several months. Rowena was slow to forgive him for the transgression. She was not accustomed to being hit, and wanted to be sure that it would never happen again. Eventually, she did forgive him for the incident, in part because she had never seen him so upset or ashamed as when he came humbly into their apartments to ask pardon for his actions. They never mentioned it to anyone else, and as the bruise was quickly tended to, no one ever knew that Salazar had ever struck her. That was how they intended it to stay.

After their fight, Salazar was extra courteous to her, and overly attentive. He was so relieved to be forgiven that he wanted to spend every minute with her. As the school year came to a close, he became jealous of anything that took up her time. Since there were exams to grade and preparations to be made for the following year, there were a large number of demands on their time. Salazar guarded their private time zealously, and the two of them made a point of scheduling time away from the busy demands of running the school to be together. Although somewhat put off by Salazar's overbearing need for her attentions, she was glad in a way. The result of the fight was that she had what she wanted from the start, time for just herself and Salazar. It seemed though that Salazar had gone from one extreme to the other, and instead of wanting to show her off, he now wanted her all to himself and was reluctant to share her. This sometimes made her nervous, but as there was never a repeat of what happened that day, she decided to just enjoy the extra attention.

In the end they reached a balance that served them well for a long time, several years in fact. They were so happy together that although they had an occasional disagreement, (usually over time constraints or whether a certain favourite student was getting too much attention), the time flew by.

Everything was perfect. They were happy. They were safe. They thought it would last.

They were wrong.

After a couple of years something happened that would change things between them forever.


End file.
